Student Group Will Not Fight Tuition Climb

Florida college students, taking a different approach to the annual issue of tuition increases at state universities, want a compromise and truce.

The Florida Student Association has abandoned its traditional position of arguing for no increase and has agreed to an 8 percent increase each of the next two years for Florida residents. Tuition for out-of-state students would go up 18 percent each year under this plan.

If the students can get the Board of Regents, which governs the state universities, to agree to this compromise, both sides will go into the legislative session on the same side. Traditionally, the regents and the FSA do annual battle in Tallahassee, with both sides trying to win the hearts and minds of legislators.

That may happen again in 1990 because Chancellor Charles Reed has recommended a 15 percent tuition increase for both state residents and out-of-state students.

The regents will decide at their January meeting whether to take Reed's proposal to the Legislature for approval or to go with the FSA proposal and lobby in concert with the students.

''We would go into the session and be on the same side,'' said Barbara Bowden-Foley, FSA executive director. ''In the past, the Board of Regents has asked for 15 percent tuition increase, the students have asked for zero, and who knows where it ends up.''

Last year, the increase was 10 percent for Florida residents and 11 percent for out-of-state students. The year before, the Legislature approved no increase.

Tuition at Florida's nine public universities is among the lowest in the nation. The average undergraduate student pays about $1,250 a year, which covers less than 21 percent of the actual cost of the education. Reed has been trying to increase the student share to 25 percent of actual costs.

Despite the low share paid by students, Florida taxpayers also pay less to fund higher education than taxpayers in other states. Only a few states pay less per person to support higher education than Florida.

The FSA compromise would raise $5 million less than the tuition increase recommended by Reed. But some regents are seriously considering the FSA proposal because they don't think the Legislature would approve a 15 percent tuition increase in one year.

''I would be willing to take 8 percent this year and 8 percent next year as the FSA proposed,'' said regents Chairman Charles Edwards. ''I'd take it in a minute.''

Edwards said he needs to study the tuition issue and the FSA proposal more before making a final decision. But right now he is ''75 percent committed'' to the students' proposal, he said.

Others disagree. Joan Ruffier, a regent from Orlando, said she will back the chancellor's proposal.

''I happen to think that 15 percent is not unreasonable given how low the tuition is,'' said Ruffier.

One thing on which all the state officials agree is their appreciation for the attempt at compromise by the FSA, instead of the students' usual approach of lobbying for no tuition increase every year. If an agreement between the regents and the FSA is reached, it would mean that time and energy spent on the tuition battle in previous years can instead be devoted this year to lobbying the Legislature on issues of mutual concern.

''The idea of being one happy family is an attractive element,'' said Patrick Riordan, spokesman for the regents.